Fellowship & Assembly

Thnx, very good info. I am new to all this and dismissed religion till about 2017 so I am having to cram. Go into overload at times. Even so, some things got thru to me about the religious community and your post jogs my memory of a similar occurrence in the U.S., possibly. It may be that some preacher on the internet which I listened to may have been railing against a similarly named 'church'. It seems even the word 'church' is compromised due to Satanic influence. I may post a thread about the AoG group I may attend locally.

Weeeell. Do take your time

Think about the foundation. Opinion or God's Word?

Hey Eli1, thnx for all the help. I see you are fairly new to this chat too. But that's beside the point. I wanted to ask another favor if you know. I really appreciate you looking and giving opinion on Maranatha Chapel but do you know how to do thread with vote as I would like more than one opinion on Maranatha.

To create a poll, create a new topic and then you will see an option which says “post a poll”. Click on that and you will see more options about the poll and how you want to create it.
‘Then when all is done, click Post Thread and it will show the poll on the top.

Getting the opinion of those you have learned to trust is a good idea. Going with random and often uninformed opinions is not. Ultimately you need to be convinced in your own heart and mind.
Proverbs 3:5-6 are invaluable counsel when it comes to making decisions.
It might have been Hudson Taylor who wrote:

Enough that God my Father knows
Nothing this faith can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice with Him.

Thnx good info....I agree 100% with Pr. 3:5-6 and see no problem with polling. It may not yield an answer but if done correctly it may yield an answer. Sounds like a coin toss would be just as useful. And in a sense, it seems that some scripture supports a coin toss decision as valid. Maybe depending on significance of matter at hand. I have no personal contacts to consult on this matter but am finding some reliable individuals on this site and if they show up in a poll that may put me on the right track. And thus far I have been taken in by a few tv and internet preachers and my faith in the Bible as Gods' Word is stronger. So everything's coming up roses.

You will likely find flaws in any Church. Go there to minister as well as be ministered to. If you find problems, perhaps God can use you to help them get things straightened out. I joined a conservative Mennonite Church many years ago. The have many extraneous bolt-ons, but their core doctrine is good and strong.

Ghost Busters may have a Church directory... but I'm not sure.

Don't rely on just one source. Look around and see what's going down. They will often expose each other. (Not always a bad thing in these dark times.) Most important of all is to stay close to Jesus and His Word. He wants to reveal Himself to us in a real and personal way.

Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Thnx oyster67....I have been communicating by phone with a Mennonite minister in Lombard, IL., but so far AoG affiliate is looking good and I am waiting to do a poll on this chat but need #1....wait for new pastor as present pastor retires 16th this month and #2 devise poll. Thnx much for your input.

unless you yourself are infallible you should accept any or all who love the Lord and His cross ... The OT prophets never abandoned Israel nor did Jesus abandon His disciples.

I just don't want to get involved with any cult type. JWs' come across nice but I understand they are cult.

My ministry and calling

Another group I stay away from are RCs

And another group I now avoid is referenced here....
Danny Masterson Goes on Trial for Rape as Scientology Looms in the Background

Proverbs3-5-6

Sometimes as someone else mentioned, you may go to these other groups to share your Good News with that ONE follower who is not sure of the environment he’s in.

This is why I go to different churches and even different religions. I know my God and I want to share Him with others.

But since you are new at this your church that you linked earlier, looks pretty good to me. Then God will guide you on what to do next.

Should one assemble in a local church? Is there an obligation to do so according to Scripture? Yes! and Yes!

The problem, in these days, is finding an assembly that is Doctrinally sound. No assembly is perfect because we are not perfect. However, if you, yourself are not Doctrinally anchored in the Scriptures, you can be blown about by the various Doctrines of men.

A true assembly, of Jesus Christ, is pastored by a man called of God to that office. Not someone who thought this might be a good career move. That under-shepherd, cares deeply for the Scriptures and seeks always to honor God with his teachings. He loves God's children and watches over the flock given to him by God. He believes that God is Sovereign over all. That salvation is all of God and only God gets the glory.

In these chat rooms, you will encounter many who will diminish the role of Christ's Assembly. They themselves abandoning the true worship in the assembly with like minded believers. I, myself, have found it difficult to find a replacement assembly, since the Lord took my Pastor home and the candlestick was removed. God used him in a mighty way and he published many books to aid others. These books were always "free" and he never charged anyone a dime for them or anything else. He believed that God had made it possible and refused to profit from it. A rare and blessed individual.

For what it is worth, I will give my opinion, for the type of leader/pastor one should look for. Someone like John MacArthur, who has shown himself sound in Doctrine for over fifty years. Unfortunately, he is in California and I in Arizona. You can see and listen to him on YouTube. His assembly's outreach program is called "Grace to You".

For me personally, I may have found an assembly - Good Lord willing. I am now inspecting their teachings, in hopes that they will not violate one of the great Doctrines of Scripture.

May God guide you to where He would have you to go.

I am vulnerable and with the health issues I do not go to assemble with believers as I was doing, until just over two and a half years ago. I watch services online now, it has been services at the church where I had been going, but I have been using the opportunity to watch some at some other congregations, one specifically more recently. Yet communication with other believers is important, which I find more in other ways online, as often done with media, since I remain pretty isolated at home now.

I think the same advice applies whether we fellowship online or off:

Go to Jesus first. Let His Spirit be your guide and protector. Get alone with Him and study His Word in a still and quiet place.

I am not much of a techy and still use flip phone but curious as to using (SM) social media as your intent indicates with Twitter which is also in a transitional phase. Notice that SM is also designation for more pejorative condition. Another point of interest regarding SM it is now approximately 10 yrs since Arab Spring which was aided by use of SM. Interesting to me that a cousin married a man from Tunisia where Arab Spring started. Most unusual that I interacted with the couple for only a short time and now look back upon that incident with a degree of amazement. Will wonders never cease.